By Morris Aron
Delegates at the on-going UN South-South conference have warned that many developing countries — including Kenya — may not achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) due to rising food insecurity, effects of global financial crisis and changing climatic patterns.
Further, volatility in international petroleum prices and the swine flu pandemic will make it difficult for countries on the path to attaining the MDG targets by 2015.
"The interrelated global financial, economic, energy and food crisis as well as challenges posed by HIV/Aids, malaria, swine flu and other health pandemics are threatening to reverse the gains achieved by many developing countries," said Ms Angelina Wapakhabulo, High Commissioner of Uganda.
Diminishing value
MDGs are eight goals drafted by the UN and member countries that respond to the world’s main development challenges that are to be achieved by 2015.
Key among them include eradication of extreme hunger, universal primary education, gender equity and women empowerment and reducing child mortality.
Donor support on MDGs to developing countries rose to record levels last year, but the level of support to Africa is falling by $20 billion a year,
"We welcome initiatives by multilateral, regional and bilateral financial and development partners to increase financial resources to promote South-South cooperation," she said.
Financial Crisis
Global financial crisis has cut credit to many businesses including small and medium enterprises that are a lifeline to many developing economies and reduced the level of returns from the export market.
Erratic climatic conditions have on the other hand forced many in the developing countries that rely on rain-fed agriculture into extreme hunger leading to a rise in disease cases.
The delegates — drawn from Africa, South American, Caribbean and Asia — congregating in Nairobi are calling for increased cooperation in trade, investment and technology transfer between member countries to boost economic growth and reverse threats posed by such trends.
Among the proposals include increased trade linkages between sub-regional economic group meetings.
The delegates called for increased investment in infrastructure, agriculture and technology transfer in information communication technology between Asian countries with African countries.
"We need to turn this challenge into an opportunity by expanding intra-regional trade," said J B Dssanayake head of Srilankan delegation at the conference.
The resolutions from the three-day conference that ends today will be passed to the highest levels of the UN for further deliberations and action plan.
